Full automatic pistol



Feb. 22, 19.

H. J. KENNEDY FULL AUTOMATIC PISTOL l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 28, 1945.

Zin/Ent af' Y D E N N E K l n FULL AUTOMATIC PISTOL Filed July 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 22, 1949 FULL AUTOMATIC yPISllL Horace .L Kennedy, ,1Hartford,'f(lonn., assignorrto Colts Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Connecticut Application July 28, 1945, 'Serial No. 607,157!) 8 Claims. (Cl..89,1-40) While the inventionzin its Vbroader .aspects is in the rearwarddirection to effect recocking of not so limited, it is particularly `applicableto ra the hammer. semif'automatic pistollof otherwise :standard'de- Eig. 55 Kis :a :fragmentary longitudinal sectional Sign :and 'construction :and is Ymore specifically view takenalong'theline of' Fig. 2, this view applicable `to the :pistol omcially known `as the 5 showing the slide yforward and the Vhammer in cal. .'45MJ91'1`A1 automatic pistol; cocked position.

'Qneof the :objects of the invention-is to pro- Fig..6iis a view similar to Fig. 5fbut showing vide-simplefand reliable :means under'fthe control the parts `in the same vrelative positions as in of the trigger for repetitively releasing `the sear Fig. 4. automaticallytoelectiull automatic Vr'ing,'thai, lil Fig. 7 is yaview similar to Fig. 5 but 4showing is, repetitive firing which will .continue so long the slide rearward of its forward position vand as the trigger is pressediand cartridges are availmoving'inthe Lforward direction. able in the magazine. `More specically, it is Fig. '8`fis an exploded perspective `view showing an object of thepresent invention to provide such thesear, the member for movingrthe sear to effect means adapted .to `be kreadily substituted in a 15 l'fullrautomatic operation, and the disconnector. standard cal, .'45'PM1911A11automatic pistol with Fig. `9` iis a perspective View of the :firing pin a .minimum of :changesin the standard pistol stop. parts. SFig. V10-is=a kperspective view-of an alternative v.Ann-ther object of the invention is-to provide ring pin stop adapted to be used when full means for effecting rfull yautomatic:operation yci? 2l automatic operation is not desired. thepistol as described, suchfmeans, however, be- 'The `.drawings show -a cal. .45 M1911A1 autoingfoptionallyfusableso that,-wihennotused, the matic pistol lwithcertain parts substituted or pistol may operate as a semi-*automatic pistol, modified to effect full automatic operation. For firing only one shot i'for each movement o'f the detailsof construction not herein fully rshown or trigger. More specically, it is an object Vofthe 25 described, reference may be vlhad to Patent Nos. invention to attain such resultsby the Y'sulo'stitu- 984,'-519 and 1,070,582.

tion of'parts'inastandard cal. A5 MI9v1-1'A`1 auto- Asfshown, :the pistol comprises a frame or rematic pistol -with a minimum of changes inthe ceiver I'l, a barrel -I2, a reciprocable slide or standard :pistol .'parts. breeoh'boltlg-aring pin '14, a grip I5, a trigger From the specification further objects and yad- 3U .l'and a ring member-'or hammer il. The grip vantages offthe invention'will be apparent to those is adapted 'to hold `a magazine I8 containing a skilled in the art. plurality-offcartridges which may be successively `rr-the accompanyingdrawings I'have shown fedinto the chamber of the barrel, Tired, and the embodiment of the invention `which I now ejectedfupon operation-of the trigger mechanism deem preferable, ibut it 'will be understood @that 35 and automatic lvreciprocation ofthe bolt. the drawings are intended for illustrative `pur- The ring pin is slidably mounted-in a hole I9 poses only-andare-notfto be relied'upon as deninfthe b'oltfandiis-biased -to retracted position'by ing :or limiting the Vscope of the invention, the aspringfabutting:at one end against a shoulder claims forming a part-of this speciiication being 2| on the firing pin. Rearward movement of the relied upon rfor that purpose. o firingpinisllimitedby-a removable stop 22. Itis 'In the drawings: apparent `from the drawings, see Fig. 3, that the Fig. f1 is a sideelevation-o-a'cal. .45'M1911-A1 ringpin islo'f'such length that when the hammer automaticfpistol 1in which the inventionmay-'be isf-in its uncooked position, it may rest against incorporated. the lstop 122 without moving the firing pin sum- Fig. 2zis afragmentary transverse sectionaliview e cientlytocause its forward end to project beyond of the rear portion of thepistol-Withtheiinventhe'front Tace of thebolt portion of the slide i3. tionzincorporated therein, this viewrbeing :taken Whenfthe pistol isintentionallyred the hammer along :the line 2--2 of Fig. Y1. delivers -afblow to the rear lend of the flringrpin Rig. 3 `'is Va ragmentarylongitudinal lsectional and Ethe momentum vof thepin vcauses it to Vbe view-taken along the line 3-3'of Fig. 2, this view 5o projected 'beyond the 'front face of the bolt to showing the islide 'forward and the hammer in lirethecartridgeprimer. cocked rposition. Thehammer is pivotally mounted in the Vframe Fig. `Il is la :viewss'imilar tofFig; 3 `but showing by Aalpin 23, and is,'through ra link '24, biased in the parts jinlth'e positions `r.which they occupy the clockwise direction by a main spring (not immediately .aiter:ring,the;slide having started '55 shown) .Y The body of the hammer isbifurcated and has a shoulder 25 formed thereonfand preferably has a safety, or half cock, recess 26 formed therein. The firing mechanism includes a bifurcated sear 21 pivotally mounted in the frame by a pin 28. The sear is biased in the counterclockwise direction by a sear spring 29 and is adapted to engage with the shoulder 25 on the hammer to hold the same in cocked position.

A trigger bar 30 is secured to the trigger I6 and is slidably mounted in the frame so as to be movable with the trigger. The trigger bar is shaped to surround the magazine |8. As shown in Fig. 4, the upper edge of the rear end of the trigger bar 30 is positioned to move in a plane below the edge of the lower end of the sear 21.

A pistol embodying the present invention is preferably adapted to operate optionally either as a semi-automatic pistol or a full automatic pistol. The parts necessary for semi-automatic operation will be described first, reference being had particularly to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 8.

In order that retraction or pressing of the trigger I6 may serve to move and release the Sear 21, a member 3| is provided which initially constitutes a connecting means between the trigger bar and the sear. The member 3| also moves to a disconnecting position and will therefore be referred to as a disconnector. The disconnector 3| is shown more clearly in Fig. 8. The upper end of the disconnector 3| is loosely guided in an aperture in the frame for reciprocatory movement in a direction transverse of the direction of slide reciprocation. The lower portion of the disconnector is positioned between the legs or bifurcations of the bifurcated sear 21, and it lhas an aperture 32 through which extends the pivot pin 28 for the sear. As this aperture is larger than the pin, the lower portion of the disconnector may move relatively to the frame and scar within limits determined by the size of the aperture. The trigger bar 30 engages directly with the front face of the lower portion of the disconnector.

The lower end of the disconnector 3| is provided with means, such as a lateral projection or wing 33, which is normally adapted to engage with the lower end of the corresponding leg of the sear 21. A spring 34 presses against a Cam surface 35 to urge the disconnector upward and in the counterclockwise direction about a'pivotal axis near its upper end in the frame aperture, and inasmuch as the disconnector presses against the trigger bar 30. the latter is thereby biased to its non-iiring, or forward, position. The top of the disconnector normally projects above the top of the frame. v

When the invention is incorporated in a cal. .45 M1911A1 automatic pistol, the disconnector 3| has the same cooperative size and shape as that portion of a standard disconnector at one side of a vertical longitudinal central plane therethrough. As shown, it corresponds to the portion at the left side, looking forward. In referring to the same cooperative size and shape, it is intended to state that those portions which directly cooperate with other parts have the same size and shape, it being obvious however that there may be minor variations in other portions.

As shown in Fig. 3, the projection or wing 33 of the disconnector constitutes a connecting means between the trigger barv30 and the Sear when the disconnector 3| is in the position shown in this figure. When the trigger is pressed, the disconnector is moved transversely of its direction of reciprocation, and the projection 33 engages the sear to move it and release the hammer to effect firing. With the slide in its forward position, the upper end of the disconnector 3| is seated in a recess 36 in the bottom of the slide, and as soon as the slide moves rearward upon recoil the disconnector is forced out of the recess and moved downward. Thus the disconnector is reciprocated by the slide in a direction transverse of the direction -of slide reciprocation. When the disconnector is moved downwardly from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 4,'the projection 33 will no longer be in a position to engage the sear and consequently the trigger can no longer move the sear to, or hold it in, its hammer releasing position. Such downward movement of the disconnector takes places automatically upon each reciprocation of the slide andthe gun will operate in a semi-automatic manner. It is clear from Fig. 4 that the projection or wing 33 is below the bottom of the sear and that the disconnector cannot'move upward until permitted to do so by releasing the trigger and permitting the trigger bar to move forward. When the trigger is released the disconnector is restored to theposition shown in Fig. 3 and firing may be repeated. So far as described up to the present point, the pistol would operate in exactly the same manner as a standard semiautomatic pistol.

Reference will now be made more particularly to Figs. 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 showing the parts which elect full automatic operation.

A vertically reciprocable member 31 is provided for -automatically releasing the sear 21,

this member being reciprocated by the slide I3 in a direction transverse of the slide reciprocation. The member Y31 is so related to the slide and to the sear that it is moved downward as the slide moves forward and just before the slide reaches its forward breeched position. Downward movement of the member 31 causes it to engage the sear to move it and release the hammer and effect ring.

Preferably and as shown, the member 31 is similar to the disconnector 3| and is similarly positioned and mounted. When the invention is incorporated in a cal. .45 M1911A1 automatic pistol the member 31, except for its lower end portion, has the same cooperative size and shape as that portion of a standard disconnector for the pistol at one side of a vertical longitudinal central plane therethrough, and as shown, it corresponds to the portion at the right side looking forward. The upper end of the member 31 is loosely guided in the same opening in the frame which receives and guides the upper end of the disconnector 3|, and the member 31 is also positioned between the legs or bifurcations of the bifurcated sear 21 and it has an aperture 38 through which extends the pivot pin 28 for the sear. As this aperture is larger than the pin, the lower portion of the member 31 may move relatively to the frame and sear within limits determined by the size of the aperture. The trigger bar 30 engages directly with the front face of the lower portion of the member.

The spring 34 which presses against the surface 35 on the disconnector 3| also presses against a cam surface 39 on the member 31 when the trigger i6 is in its non-retracted position to urge the member upward and in the counter-clockwise direction about a pivotal axis near its upper end in the frame aperture. Inasmuch as the member 31 presses against the trigger bar 30 it assists in biasing the latter towards its non-ring or forancianos wardposition. When the triggeris held in its retractedpositiongthe leg of thespring 31A-'which Apresses againstthe cam surfaces andicannot bias `member .31 upward. Howevenmember'i is biasedzupwardly bythe leg of spring'fi which engages :the `sear as the surfaces of the recess .ist and projection .3 function as coacting cam surfaces ;to 'move member :el upwardly. Alternatively'the disconnector engaging leg of the spring 34 `mayloe, bifurcated so that it may act vindependently .on the disconnector 3i :and .on the member .37.

Theupper lend of the :member 3'! is engageable with a cam surface 'de on the slide so as to :be reciprocated thereby in a direction transverse of the :direction of slide reciprocation. Preferably andas shown, the slide isprovide-d with an additional longitudinal groove il 'into which theupper end of the member '3i may extend. Except for the groove di, the slide has the same cooperative sizeandshapeas a standard slide. The cam surface iis at or near the rear end of the groove lll and itis formed on a finger ormember i2 projecting into the groove i and constituting a part of the .'ring pin stop 22. The cam surface 4S is so locatedzthat iig-engages the member 3i to force it downward as the slide i3 is moving forward and just before it lreaches its forward breeched po sition.

YThe member '3i has-a lateral projection or wing i3 which Yis at a level above that of the lateral projection or wing k33 on the disoonnector 3l. With the member Si in its lower position as shown in Fig. 5, the lprojection 'fi-3 is at the same level as the lower end portion of the right hand bifurcation of the sear 2l, VPressing of the trigger with resultant movement of the trigger bar 35i toward the reanas shown in Fig. 6, causes the lower portion of the member 31, including the projections-3, to move rearward and engage the sear'to move it to release the hammer and eifect firing.

-As soon asfiring occurs the slide i3 moves rear ward and the member'' moves upward as shown in'Fig. E, and it will be seen that continued upward movement will carry the projection 3 to a position wherein it is at the same level as a forward opening recess Gli inthe right hand bifurcation of the sear 21. Except for the said recess All, the `sear 12T has the same cooperative size and shape Aas a standard sear. When the projection @-3 is opposite the recess, the sear is free to move to reengage the hammer as soon as the hammer reaches its cocked position, as shown in Fig. "1. If pressure is maintained on the trigger to hold the trigger bar 3B in its rearward position, as shown in Fig. '7, the projection i3 is entered into the recess 44. As the slide I3 -again moves for ward the member 3l is forced downward by the cam surface 4B, thus causing the projection 43 to engage the bottom surface of the sear recess i4 to move the sear and release the hammer to effect ring.

From the foregoing description it will be ap parent thatwith the hammer cocked, pressing of the trigger and movement of the trigger bar itl toward the rear will first move the sear to eiect initial iiring, and that thereafter so long as the trigger is pressed and so long as a supply of cartridges is available Ain the magazine, the member 3'! will serve to engage and move the sear repetitively to release the hammer upon each reciprocation of the slide. Thus full automatic operation ofthe pistol Sis attained-but this can be discontinued :atanytime `by releasing the 4trigger-and ill 'permitting'the .trigger .bar and the lnweriportion ofthe member 35i to move. forward.

The slide i3 4may .be `rendered inoperative tto reciprocate E'the :member 137i' when vfull :automatic operationof the pistol isnot .'desired. v,fisfshown7 this result is attained by removing 'the ring pin ,stop 22 with its nger .42 and substituting an alternative ringpin stop d5, which has .no iinger 2 and which .is in fact the standard firing. pin stop vfor vthe pistol. It will be clear that without therlnger @and cam surface d, the upperendof themember'! will vremain in the groove f4! .and the member will not reciprocate and will be inoperative.

`When the stop i212 and the nger .132 are in place, .the disconnector 3l and the member 3i cooperate with each other to effect the initial movement of the sear-to release the hammerand elTect the initial ring as vthe projections 33 and ed simultaneously engage the sear when the trig ger is retracted. Otherwise the two members 4.3l and Si function entirely yindependently of each other and when one of them is operative lthe other is inoperative. They are separately reciprocable by the slide i3 and the disconnector 3i is in its upperposition and the members-! is in its lower position when theslide is in its forward position. As already explained, the disconnector til is held in its lower disconnecting position'so long as the trigger is-pressedfand the trigger bar is in its rearward position, as shown in Fig. 2i. Thus-for full automatic operation the disconnector is entirely inoperative after the initial movement of the Sear and the iirst recoil movement o'f the slide ll 3.

if full automatic operation of the pistol is not desired, the stop 22 withthe nger d2 is replaced by the standard stop 45, and then the sear operating member 31 remains in its upper inoperative position and ring is effected semi-automatically exactlyfas in the standard pistol,

Ii only full automatic operation is desired, and not semi-automatic operation, the disconnector 3l couldbe entirely omitted, suitable provision being made by means of a filler piece or otherwise for holding the member 3l' in its proper location at the right side of the ycentral plane of the pistol.

What I claim is:

l. An automatic pistol comprising in combination. a frame, a barrel, a slide automatically reciprocable upon a hammer movable to cocked position by the slide upon recoil movement thereof, a scar for holding the hammer in cocked position and having a cam suriace hereon, a trigger, and a member reciprocabiy mounted in said frame and engageable by the slide for movement thereby and having a cam surface .thereon movable to and from a position'v of engagement with the cam Surface on said Sear to effect hammer releasing movement of the Sear upon reciprocation of said member.

2. An automatic pistol comprising a frame, a barrel, a slide automatically reciprocable upon firin a hammer movable to cocked position by the s de upon recoil movement thereof, a scar for holding the hammer in cooked position and having a cam surface thereon, and a trigger, in combination with a .member reciprocably mounted in said frame and engageable by the slide for movement thereby and having a projection thereon including a cam surface movable to and from a position oi engagement with said sear to eiect hammer releasing movement of the Sear upon reciprocation of said member.

3. An automatic pistol comprising in combination, a frame, a barrel, a slide automatically reciprocable longitudinally upon firing, a hammer movable to cocked position by the slide upon recoil movement thereof, a sear for holding the hammer in cocked position and having a cam surface thereon, a longitudinally movable trigger, and a member reciprocably positioned below the slide and movable thereby in a direction transverse of the slide reciprocation, the said member being guided near its upper end to prevent movement longitudinally of the slide and having its lower portion movable by the trigger in the direction of trigger movement, said member having a cam surface thereon which moves into position to engage the cam surface on the sear and release the hammer when the member is moved by pressing the trigger and the said cam surfaces thereafter engaging and moving the sear repetitively to release the hammer upon each reciprocation of the member while the trigger remains in pressed position.

4. An automatic pistol comprising in combination, a frame, a barrel, a slide automatically reciprocable longitudinally upon firing, a hammer movable to cocked position by the slide upon recoil movement thereof, a bifurcated sear for holding the hammer in cocked position and having a cam surface on one of the bifurcations, a pivot pin for the sear, a longitudinally movable trigger, and a member reciprocally positioned below the slide and movable thereby in a direction transverse of the slide reciprocation, the said member being guided near its upper end to prevent movement longitudinally of the slide and having its lower portion movable by the trigger in the direction of trigger movement and the said member having its lower portion extending between the sear bifurcations and having an opening through which the sear pivot pin extends which opening is of suitable size to permit but limit movements of the member, and the said member having a cam surface thereon which moves Vvinto position to engage the cam surface on the sear and release the hammer when the member is moved by pressing the trigger and the said cam surfaces thereafter engaging and moving the sear repetitively to release the hammer upon each reciprocation of the member while the trigger remains in pressed position.

5. An automatic pistol comprising in combination, a frame, a barrel, a slide automaticallyrreciprocable longitudinally upon ring and including a removable camming means, a ilring pin in the slide, a hammer movable to cocked position by the slide upon recoil movement thereof, a sear for holding the hammer in cocked position and having a cam surface thereon, a longitudinally movable trigger, a member reciprocably positioned below the slide with its upper end adapted to be moved in a direction transverse of the slide reciprocation by engagement of its said upper end with the saidrcamming means, the said member being guided near its upper end to prevent movement longitudinally of the slide and having its lower portion movable by the trigger in the direction of trigger movement, and a cam surface on the said member which moves into position to engage the cam surface on the sear and release the hammer when the member is moved by pressing the trigger and thereafter engaging and moving the sear repetitively to release the hammer upon each reciprocation of the member while the trigger remains in pressed position.

'6. In an automatic pistol, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a slide automatically reciprocable upon firing, a hammer movable toV cocked position by the slide upon recoil movement thereof, a sear for holding the hammer in cocked position and having a cam surface thereon, a trigger and trigger bar, a disconnector interposed between the trigger bar and the sear when the slide is in breeched position to operatively connect them so that when the trigger is pressed the bar may move the sear to release the hammer, the said disconnector upon recoil movement of the slide being moved thereby to a disconnecting position wherein the sear is free to return to its hammer engaging position independently of the trigger bar, and the said disconnector being restored to its connecting position only upon release of the trigger and upon return of the slide to its breeched position, a reciprocable member having a c am surface thereon separately movable by the slide and engaging the cam surface on the sear repetitively to move the sear and thereby release the hammer without further movement of the trigger.

7. In an automatic pistol, the combination of a frame, a barrel, a slide automatically reciprocable upon ring and including a removable camming means, a hammer movable to cocked position by the slide upon recoil movement thereof, a sear for holding the hammer in cocked position and having a cam surface thereon, a trigger and trigger bar, a disconnector interposed between the trigger bar and the sear when the slide is in breeched position to operatively conneet them so, that when the trigger is pressed the bar mav move the sear to release the hammer, tie said disconnector upon recoil movement of the slide being moved thereby to a disconnecting position wherein the sear is free to return to its hammer engaging position independently of the trigger bar, and the said disconnector being restored to its connecting position only upon release of the trigger and upon return of the slide to its breeched position, and a reciprocable member engageable by the said camming means and having a cam surface thereon engageable with the said cam surface on the sear, the said member being movable by the trigger bar Vin a direction transverse of its reciprocatory movement to engage the sear and release the hammer and the said member thereafter engaging and moving the sear repetitively to release the hammer upon Veach reciprocation while the trigger remains in pressed position.

8. In an automatic pistol, the combination of a frame, a barrelfa slide automatically reciprocable upon ring, a hammer movable to cocked position by the slide upon recoil movement thereof, a sear for holding the hammer in cocked position and having its lower portion bifurcated with a cam surface thereon, a pivot pin for the sear, a longitudinally movable trigger and trigger bar, and two separately movable closely adjacent members immediately beneath the slide and each having its lower portion extending between the sear bifurcations and eachY having an opening therein through which the sear pivot pin extends which opening is of suitable size to permit but limit movements of the member, one of said members being a disconnector having a portion initially interposed between the trigger bar and the sear to operatively connect them so that when the trigger is pressed the bar may move the sear to release the hammer, the said disconnector upon recoil movement of the slide being moved thereby to a disconnecting position wherein the sear is free to return to its hammer engaging positiox'h independently of the trigger bar and the said disconnector being restored to its connecting position only upon release of the trigger and upon return of the slide to its for- Ward position, and the other of said members having a cam surface thereon and being movable by the slide separately from the disconnector and engaging the cam surface on the sear repetitively to move the Sear and thereby release the hammer Without further movement of the trigger.

HORACE J. KENNEDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 836,713 Sclcouboe Nov. 27, 1906 1,070,582 Browning Aug. 19, 1913 1,230,930 Schouboe June 26, 1917 1,333,498 Lang Mar. 9, 1920 2,324,125 Van Horn et al. July 13, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 104,493 Austria Oct. 25, 1926 

